Dear Dave,
There is a soft spot in my hallway floor behind a slide. It is close to the wall. Can I peel the floor back without damaging it, and is it repairable without tearing a lot out? Or can I cut the underbelly open and look from the bottom? —Ed, 2022 Hampton park model
Dear Ed,
Most RV manufacturers are using vinyl flooring, which makes it more difficult to just peel back the flooring to look at the underlayment. I have had a real “bug tussle” (Midwest term for difficult!) with vinyl that was glued to the plywood underflooring and basically had to ruin the vinyl. This stuff was the worst. On the motorhome we worked on, we replaced carpet and the kitchen vinyl with a luxury vinyl material. We used a heat gun and plastic putty knife and then had to use Goo Gone to get the adhesive off the subfloor.
Carpet is easy as it is typically stapled around the sidewalls and cabinetry and can be reapplied and stapled. Carpet is very forgiving when hiding seams and staples.
What to do if it is vinyl
If it is vinyl, I would suggest trying to remove a test spot under the bed or inside a cabinet to see what you will be dealing with. Use a heat gun on a low setting and cut the vinyl at the wall. There may even be a trim piece at the wall to floor joint that you could remove and try peeling the vinyl back. Look for a good place to cut side to side such as a fake grout line which could be reapplied and use some matching silicone.
If there’s a leak
A soft spot could be a leak that has weakened the plywood or just soft wood. In either case, I do think it is important to inspect what is happening and fix it. Many times I have cut out the soft plywood in motorhomes as they sit idling and the heat of the exhaust rises and weakens the wood. We would cut out the soft wood, reinforce the open area with 2×4’s, and install new plywood. The 2×4’s not only provided support but also a good platform for the edges of the new plywood.
If it is a leak, you should be able to see a trail of where the moisture came from and get that fixed. My guess is that the slide room is not sealed well enough and moisture is coming in through that area.
Without looking at the underbelly of your rig, I can’t say which approach would be easier. As a wise politician once said: “I feel strongly both ways!” If you have access to that area, you could cut a square in the underbelly material to inspect it, then install a slightly larger square over the opening with silicone to seal it.
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Dave Solberg is a leading expert in the RV industry and the author of the “RV Handbook.”
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A lot of RVs now use sheet vinyl flooring over the entire floor before walls and furnishings are installed. This vinyl is typically not glued to the subfloor. Using a straight edge and very sharp razor knife you can cut the vinyl along walls or with the pattern inconspicuously to create a flap (the flap will help tremendously for relaying the vinyl). After floor repairs, relay the vinyl using a wallpaper roller and an adhesive like this one. The cut should only be noticeable if you are looking for it and in addition to holding down the seam, the adhesive will act as a moisture barrier.
I too have had a soft spot. No slide outs. I contacted Winnebago and they sent me a tech. bulletin for my 94′ Vectra on how to repair it; comes with pictures or drawings of the various layers and materials used in the floor structure. Relatively easy fix, depending on the extent of damage; altho it is time consuming and a lot of work on your knees.
Thank you for the discussion of the ways to approach repairing this problem, Dave! Doesn’t seem that the construction methods used in the RV industry yield a product that lends itself to all repairs. Happily, experts such as you readily share their knowledge. Have a great day and safe travels!